Flexible ratchet-type pipe wrench



March 29, 19149. 5, OSBORNE 2,465,695

FLEXIBLE RATCHET-TYPE PIPE WRENCH Filed Sept. 18, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 q I fzwenior l, Samuel Os ne FL y Aiiamzqy March 29, 1949. s. OSBORNE FLEXI-BLE RATCHET-TYPE PIPE WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 18, 1944 Fig.2.

fnvenz zor SamueZ 036 me Patented Mar. 29, 1949 UNITED FATE NT O FF I C E FLEXIBLE RATCHET-TYPE. I'IPE- WRENCH Samuel Osborne, Portland; Oreg.

.ApplicationSeptember 18, 1944, Serial No; 554,561

I Claims;

in invention relates to wrenches and particularly to that type of wrench adapted for engaging an object of circular section", such, for example, as a pipe wrench. It is frequently necessary-to operate a wrench in a restricted area, :and a wrench of this character must be capableof ac commodating relatively Wide ranges of sizes.

The principal object of my invention is to devise awrench of this character which may quickly be secured to an-object, which may be quickly and easily adjusted to size, and which is provided with ratcheting mechanism so that itcan be turnedby a handle moving through a'relatively narrow are.

A further and more specific object of my invention is to provide a wrenchof this character having a work-engaging member which has workengaging teeth upon-one face-thereof andratchet teeth on the opposite face,-the whole being relatively flexible to accommodate itself to various sizes and shapes of pipes, rods and other articles of generally circular section.

A still further object -ofmy invention is to provide a wrench of this character with a device by which the major portion of such adjustment may be made through quick acting means,-and the final and more precise adjustment maybe made by means of a threaded nut.

Further and other details of my-invention are hereinafter described with reference to the ac companying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation'of a wrench embodying my invention, with portions shown broken away to disclose details of construction;

Fig; 2 is a similar fragmentary perspective view of such wrench; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective viewof a work-engaging element, which is removable and replaceable, and which is generally flexible to accommodate various shapes and contours.

A wrench embodying myinvention comprises a handle I, terminating'in a T-shapedend rm, to which is secured a channel member 2', defining a part-of'an annular body. The remainder of said body is formed'of a lengthof linked chain 3. The sidewalls Zaof: said --body-are provided with a series of v-shaped notches 4, so that said member can beflexed to an arc. of shorter'radiu's Between said sidewalls is a chamber 5. 'ifhe length: of linlted chain 3- is secured tosaid body by a latch pin 6, which engages a hole l. The other end of said chain carries a threaded bolt 8 secured to 'the'chain'by a pintle pin 9. Said bolt, thus, is free to swing angularly about said pintle pin toaccommodate itself to the sweep of the annular-head in its various diameters.

1 A hole 10 extends through the handle l and said bolt loosely passes through said hole. The sidewalls of said 'holearc sloped obliquely to accommodate the angular movement of said bolt. Adjacent the free end of said boltis a threaded wing nut I I, which bears against a non-threaded nut l2. A bail element I3 is secured to said handle by a pivot pin I4 andto said non-threaded nut l2-by a pivot pin l5.

- In the'positionsaid bail assumes in Fig. 1, for example, it applies tension to the bolt and to theannular head, which tension can be relaxed by pivoting said ball clockwise about the pivot pin-l-4' until pivot pin l5 moves into pocket it. Attention is' called to the fact that said pivot pinsywhen arranged'as illustrated in Fig. 1 are slightly: to the left of dead center, so that said tension tends to. hold the bail up against the under surface of the handle to prevent inadvertent slackening of tension.

Journalled within the bore of said annular head is a-work-eng-aging band H, which is made of steel or other flexible material, so as readily to accommodate itself to changes in shape and contour. Tothe under surface of said band that is, within the boreor concave portion thereof-are aseries of spaced work-gripping teeth I8. 1 Betweensaid teeth are spaces 9 for accommodatingssuch flexure. 0n the outer or convex face of =said:bandare ratchet teeth 28, spaced generally at uniform intervals. I preferably make said teeth in-pairs and rivets 2| either pass throughsaid pairs of teeth to the band, or'extend completely through and engage the workgripping teeth, depending upon whether the ratchetteethoverlie said work-gripping teeth, or the spaces I9Jbetween the latter.

'The work-gripping teeth are arranged to rotate a. pipe, Her other work to be engaged in a clockwise" direction, as is viewed in Fig. 1;. and the ratchet teeth are arranged to be engaged by pawls 23, 23a and 23b, spaced about the periphery of said work-engaging band, as is show'nin-said 8MB. 1 4 1 Pawl 23 is arranged adjacent the point of connection between the head and the handle and is pivotally mounted upon a pin 24, which passes through the handle and said head. A curved leaf spring 24a tends to hold the pawl in engagement with the ratchet teeth. Each of said pawls preferably has a plurality of engaging teeth formed thereon, thus to engage a corresponding number of ratchet teeth to distribute operating stresses over a large area.

Pawl 23a is pivotally mounted upon a pin 25 and is held in engagement by a leaf spring 25a fixed in position by a screw or rivet 25b. Pawl 23b is pivotally mounted upon pin 26 and is held in operating position by spring 26a secured by a screw or rivet 26b to the annular head.

Attention is directed to the fact that the end Ha of the band I! is bent downwardly, so that f the sloped and rounded heads of the pawls will ride smoothly thereover. That is, the band I! does not completely encircle the work, and the gap between the ends thereof will sometimes underlie one pawl and at other times another, and each pawl must be free to pass over said ends without interrupting the ratcheting action.

The operation of said wrench is as follows:

The wrench may be adjusted to accommodate itself to any given diameter pipe or element within a limited range. Major changes in diameter may be made by screwing the wing nut ll along the threaded bolt 8. Attention is called to the fact that the threaded bolt 8 is of such length as to take up all of the adjustment which said wrench is adapted to accommodate.

The latch pin 6 is easily removed laterally, but is prevented from becoming detached from the body of said wrench, because it is secured thereto by a length of chain 6a.

If the wrench is to be secured to a free or disconnected end of a pipe, it can be done merely by slipping the wrench endwise over said free end. If the wrench must grip a central section of the pipe, and no free ends are available, this may be done by adjusting the work-engaging band l1, so that the gap betweenthe ends thereof is alined with the section of the wrench nor-, mally closed by the chain 5. The chain may be disengaged by pulling out said latch pin'G and slipping the wrench over the pipe through the gap in said band IT. The chain then can be replaced, the latch pin 6 inserted in position, and the final adjustment may be made by tightening the wing nut I I and rotating the bail element l3 to the position it occupies in Fig. 2.

When the wrench is properly adjusted, the work-gripping teeth bite into the exterior surface of a pipe to rotate it clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1. This may be rotated by reciprocating the handle back and forth through longer or shorter arcs, dictated by the working space. On clockwise sweeps of the wrench the pipe will be engaged and rotated, and on counter-clockwise movements the wrench and its annular head will journal upon the band 11, so as correspondingly not to rotate thepipe.

The ratchet teeth on said band are housed within the channeled member 2, and the band bears upon the internal face of said channeled member. Disengagement of the work is effected by reversing said action, and rotation of the pipe in the opposite direction is accomplished by-turning said wrench over, so that it operates. opposite hand.

I claim: e 1 i 1. A wrench of the character described, having a handle terminating in a relatively flexible annular body, means for varying the diameter of said body, a non-continuous flexible work-engaging band of less length than the circumference of the largest pipe to be gripped journalled in said body within the bore thereof and flexed by said body, toothed work-gripping elements secured to said band in spaced predetermined relation, ratchet teeth elements secured to the periphery of said band, said body being chambered to house said ratchet teeth elements, and a pawl pivotally mounted upon said body and extending into the chambered portion of the latter to engage said ratchet teeth elements, whereby said band may be rotated by said pawl in one direction within said body and may rotate freely in the opposite direction. '2. A wrenchof the character described, havin ahandle terminating in a relatively flexible annular body, said body comprising in part a linked chain element, means for varying the diameter of said body, a non-continuous flexible work-engaging band of less length than the circumference of the largest pipe to be gripped journalled in said body within the bore thereof and flexed by said body, toothed work-gripping elements secured to said band in spaced predetermined relation, ratchet teeth elements secured to the periphery of said band, said body being chambered to house said ratchet teeth elements, and a pawl pivotally mounted upon said body and extending into the chambered portion of the latter to engage said ratchet teeth elements, whereby said band may be rotated by said pawl in one direction within said body and may rotate freely in the opposite direction.

3. A wrench of the character described, having a handle terminating in a relatively flexible annular body, said body comprising in part a linkedchain element adjustably secured to the re mainder of said annular body, means including a threaded connection for varying the diameter of said body, a flexible work-engaging band of less length than the circumference of the largest pipe to be gripped journalled in said body within the bore thereofand flexed by said body, toothed work-gripping elements secured to said band in spaced predetermined relation, ratchet teeth elements secured to the periphery of said band, said body being chambered to house said ratchet teeth elements, and a pawl pivotally mounted upon said body and extending into the chambered portion of the latter to engage said ratchet teeth elements, whereby said band may be rotated by said pawl in one direction within said body and may rotate freely in the opposite direction.

4. A wrench of the character described, having a handle terminating in a relatively flexible annular body, means for varying the diameter of said body, a non-continuous flexible work-engaging band of less length than the circumference of the largest pipe to be gripped journalled in said body within the bore thereof and flexed by said body, toothed work-gripping elements secured to said band in spaced predetermined relation, ratchet teeth elements secured to the periphery of said band, said body being chambered to house said ratchet teeth elements, and a series of spring-pressed pawls pivotally mounted upon said body and extending into the chambered portion of the latter to engage said ratchet teeth elements, whereby said band may be rotated by said pawls in one direction within said body and may rotate freely in the opposite direction.

5. A wrench of the character described, having a handle terminating in a relatively flexible annular body, said body comprising in part a linked chain element adjustably secured to the remainder of said annular body, means including a threaded connection and an adjustable bail element for varying the diameter of said body, a flexible work-engaging band of less length than the circumference of the largest pipe to be gripped journalled in said body within the bore thereof and flexed by said body, toothed workgripping elements secured to said band in spaced predetermined relation, ratchet teeth elements secured to the periphery of said band, said body being chambered to house said ratchet teeth elements, and a series of spring-pressed pawls pivotally mounted upon said body and extending into the chambered portion of the latter to engage said ratchet teeth elements, whereby said band 6 may be rotated by said pawls in one direction within said body, and may rotate freely in the opposite direction.

SAMUEL OSBORNE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

